


make a dragon wanna retire, man

by starkly



Series: you've been thunderstruck [17]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Cats, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:40:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkly/pseuds/starkly
Summary: “Hi,” Tony says awkwardly over the phone. “I’m not sure if you guys actually do this or it’s only in movies, but my cat is stuck up in a tree.”
Relationships: Tony Stark/Thor
Series: you've been thunderstruck [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064666
Comments: 1
Kudos: 94





	make a dragon wanna retire, man

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for NaNoWriMo 2020 and [posted here](https://aleator.tumblr.com/post/635378366298669056) on my tumblr writing blog. This fic was proofread before being uploaded here but is otherwise unchanged.
> 
> Prompts taken from the AU-gust 2020 challenge list on Twitter. Day Seventeen: Firefighter AU.
> 
> I'm so sorry I took the title from Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars.

“Get down here right now, Dummy! I swear to God, I’m putting you up for adoption the second I get my hands on you.”

Tony is at the end of his rope. That’s the only reason he’s threatening to give an old, one-eyed, three-legged cat to an animal shelter for misbehaving. In truth, he’s had Dum-E for years and if he didn’t get rid of him right after he saved the poor thing from a collision with a car, he wasn’t getting rid of him now.

Even though Dum-E would deserve it, because despite his considerable physical limitations, he’s somehow still managed to get himself stuck in a tree for the second time this week.

“This is ridiculous, how did you climb up there!” Tony laments, waving his hands over his head to try and get Dum-E’s attention, but the cat seems not to notice him. It’s as if he doesn’t have a care in the world, like he could just live up in that tree forever and not be bothered.

Which Tony knows is a lie, because the second he gets hungry Dum-E will be meowing so pitifully it will summon all the little old cat ladies within a ten mile radius.

After a few more minutes of unsuccessfully shouting at Dum-E, Tony sighs and pulls out his phone. After a little Googling, he finds the non-emergency number for his local fire department and dials it in. There’s no way he’s waiting for Dum-E to decide to come down himself this time.

“Hi,” he says awkwardly. “I’m not sure if you guys actually do this or it’s only in movies, but my cat is stuck up in a tree.”

Which is how twenty minutes later, one very hot fireman is climbing up a ladder to retrieve his ornery cat from amongst the branches of the stupid tree in front of his apartment building.

“Here you go,” the man’s saying, coming back down the ladder with Dum-E in one arm. “He was probably just too frightened to come down.”

Tony doesn’t think Dum-E has ever known fear in his life, but he just nods politely at the hot fireman.

“Thanks, man. This is kind of embarrassing, but. I’m glad you got him,” he says, taking Dum-E away from the fireman. Dum-E looks like he has no idea he’s done anything wrong, curling up in Tony’s arms and closing his one good eye.

“Oh, it’s no problem,” the hulking blond hottie says, and Tony thinks he should probably learn his name before he keeps objectifying him more. “We’re here to help.”

“I’m Tony,” he offers, shifting Dum-E in his arms so he can extend a hand for a handshake. “And this is Dummy.”

“Thor.” Fireman Thor takes Tony’s hand in his big, warm, manly firefighter hand and gives it a jovial shake. “That’s a little harsh. Getting stuck up somewhere high isn’t that unusual for cats.”

“Oh, no, it’s just his name. It was his name before this even happened.”

Thor still has a little frown on his face, a tiny furrow in his brow, and that just won’t do at all.

“Really, he loves it! And he’d like to thank you for saving him.” Tony holds up Dum-E and makes him dance a little in midair as he pretends to speak for him. “Thank you for saving me, Mr. Fireman.”

That finally gets Thor to laugh, and Tony beams at him.

“You’re quite welcome,” Thor says directly to Dum-E, then looks up at Tony. “You have a good day, Mr. Cat Owner.”

And under any sort of normal circumstances, that would be the last Tony ever saw of Thor the fireman. But two days later he finds Dum-E up in the very same tree, having escaped the confines of his apartment yet again. When he can’t get Dum-E down himself, he reluctantly calls the fire department again, and lo and behold, here comes Thor to save the day again.

And again.

And again.

On the fifth occasion Thor finally says something.

“Are you putting your cat up in this tree on purpose to have an excuse to call the department?”

“What? No!” Tony protests, glaring at Dum-E. “He just has a death wish and apparently has never learned anything in his life.”

“Oh, well. That’s kind of disappointing,” Thor says with a shrug and starts climbing the ladder.

Tony stares up after him. “Huh?”

“I would’ve said I could just give you my number. No need to keep calling my work.” Thor reaches the branch that Dum-E is currently sitting on, once again looking like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Thor picks him up and carefully carries him back down the ladder.

At the base of the tree, Tony is still trying to process what’s happening. As he’s handed his cat back, he says, “So can I have your number? Maybe you can teach my cat how to stay indoors.”

Thor laughs and holds out his hand. “Alright, but just for Dummy’s sake.”

Tony fishes his phone out of his pocket and hands it over, and Thor takes a moment to add himself to his contact list before handing it back. Tony glances down to see that he’s put a flame emoji and a cat emoji after his name.

“Thor hot cat?” Tony reads, grinning.

“Have a good day, Tony,” Thor says simply, smiling at him before he goes to pack up the ladder and head back to work.

Dum-E meows and licks Tony’s face, causing Tony to look down at him. “You’re my lucky cat, buddy. You’re getting the good catnip tonight.”

He’ll also have to stop leaving the window open by the fire escape, but that’s a problem for another day.


End file.
